the chouans-第72章

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hugging　her　insults；　too　proud　to　show　the　slightest　suffering；　she　went　to　the　guard…room　at　the　Porte　Saint…Leonard　and　asked　where　the　commandant　lived。　She　had　hardly　left　her　house　when　Corentin　entered　it。

〃Oh；　Monsieur　Corentin；〃　cried　Francine；　〃if　you　are　interested　in　this　young　man；　save　him；　Mademoiselle　has　gone　to　give　him　up　because　of　this　wretched　letter。〃

Corentin　took　the　letter　carelessly　and　asked；

〃Which　way　did　she　go？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　save　her　from　her　own　despair。〃

He　disappeared；　taking　the　letter　with　him。　When　he　reached　the　street　he　said　to　Galope…Chopine's　boy；　whom　he　had　stationed　to　watch　the　door；　〃Which　way　did　a　lady　go　who　left　the　house　just　now？〃

The　boy　went　with　him　a　little　way　and　showed　him　the　steep　street　which　led　to　the　Porte　Saint…Leonard。　〃That　way；〃　he　said。

At　this　moment　four　men　entered　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　house；　unseen　by　either　the　boy　or　Corentin。

〃Return　to　your　watch；〃　said　the　latter。　〃Play　with　the　handles　of　the　blinds　and　see　what　you　can　inside；　look　about　you　everywhere；　even　on　the　roof。〃

Corentin　darted　rapidly　in　the　direction　given　him；　and　thought　he　recognized　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　through　the　fog；　he　did；　in　fact；　overtake　her　just　as　she　reached　the　guard…house。

〃Where　are　you　going？〃　he　said；　〃you　are　palewhat　has　happened？　Is　it　right　for　you　to　be　out　alone？　Take　my　arm。〃

〃Where　is　the　commandant？〃　she　asked。

Hardly　had　the　words　left　her　lips　when　she　heard　the　movement　of　troops　beyond　the　Porte　Saint…Leonard　and　distinguished　Hulot's　gruff　voice　in　the　tumult。

〃God's　thunder！〃　he　cried；　〃I　never　saw　such　fog　as　this　for　a　reconnaissance！　The　Gars　must　have　ordered　the　weather。〃

〃What　are　you　complaining　of？〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　grasping　his　arm。　〃The　fog　will　cover　vengeance　as　well　as　perfidy。　Commandant；〃　she　added；　in　a　low　voice；　〃you　must　take　measures　at　once　so　that　the　Gars　may　not　escape　us。〃

〃Is　he　at　your　house？〃　he　asked；　in　a　tone　which　showed　his　amazement。

〃Not　yet；〃　she　replied；　〃but　give　me　a　safe　man　and　I　will　send　him　to　you　when　the　marquis　comes。〃

〃That's　a　mistake；〃　said　Corentin；　〃a　soldier　will　alarm　him；　but　a　boy；　and　I　can　find　one；　will　not。〃

〃Commandant；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　〃thanks　to　this　fog　which　you　are　cursing；　you　can　surround　my　house。　Put　soldiers　everywhere。　Place　a　guard　in　the　church　to　command　the　esplanade　on　which　the　windows　of　my　salon　open。　Post　men　on　the　Promenade；　for　though　the　windows　of　my　bedroom　are　twenty　feet　above　the　ground；　despair　does　sometimes　give　a　man　the　power　to　jump　even　greater　distances　safely。　Listen　to　what　I　say。　I　shall　probably　send　this　gentleman　out　of　the　door　of　my　house；　therefore　see　that　only　brave　men　are　there　to　meet　him；　for；〃　she　added；　with　a　sigh；　〃no　one　denies　him　courage；　he　will　assuredly　defend　himself。〃

〃Gudin！〃　called　the　commandant。　〃Listen；　my　lad；〃　he　continued　in　a　low　voice　when　the　young　man　joined　him；　〃this　devil　of　a　girl　is　betraying　the　Gars　to　usI　am　sure　I　don't　know　why；　but　that's　no　matter。　Take　ten　men　and　place　yourself　so　as　to　hold　the　cul…de…sac　in　which　the　house　stands；　be　careful　that　no　one　sees　either　you　or　your　men。〃

〃Yes；　commandant；　I　know　the　ground。〃

〃Very　good；〃　said　Hulot。　〃I'll　send　Beau…Pied　to　let　you　know　when　to　play　your　sabres。　Try　to　meet　the　marquis　yourself；　and　if　you　can　manage　to　kill　him；　so　that　I　sha'n't　have　to　shoot　him　judicially；　you　shall　be　a　lieutenant　in　a　fortnight　or　my　name's　not　Hulot。〃

Gudin　departed　with　a　dozen　soldiers。

〃Do　you　know　what　you　have　done？〃　said　Corentin　to　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　in　a　low　voice。

She　made　no　answer；　but　looked　with　a　sort　of　satisfaction　at　the　men　who　were　starting；　under　command　of　the　sub…lieutenant；　for　the　Promenade；　while　others；　following　the　next　orders　given　by　Hulot；　were　to　post　themselves　in　the　shadows　of　the　church　of　Saint…Leonard。

〃There　are　houses　adjoining　mine；〃　she　said；　〃you　had　better　surround　them　all。　Don't　lay　up　regrets　by　neglecting　a　single　precaution。〃

〃She　is　mad；〃　thought　Hulot。

〃Was　I　not　a　prophet？〃　asked　Corentin　in　his　ear。　〃As　for　the　boy　I　shall　send　with　her；　he　is　the　little　gars　with　a　bloody　foot；　therefore〃

He　did　not　finish　his　sentence；　for　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　by　a　sudden　movement　darted　in　the　direction　of　her　house；　whither　he　followed　her；　whistling　like　a　man　supremely　satisfied。　When　he　overtook　her　she　was　already　at　the　door　of　her　house；　where　Galope…　Chopine's　little　boy　was　on　the　watch。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Corentin；　〃take　the　lad　with　you；　you　cannot　have　a　more　innocent　or　active　emissary。　Boy；〃　he　added；　〃when　you　have　seen　the　Gars　enter　the　house　come　to　me；　no　matter　who　stops　you；　you'll　find　me　at　the　guard…house　and　I'll　give　you　something　that　will　make　you　eat　cake　for　the　rest　of　your　days。〃

At　these　words；　breathed　rather　than　said　in　the　child's　ear；　Corentin　felt　his　hand　squeezed　by　that　of　the　little　Breton；　who　followed　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　into　the　house。

〃Now；　my　good　friends；　you　can　come　to　an　explanation　as　soon　as　you　like；〃　cried　Corentin　when　the　door　was　closed。　〃If　you　make　love；　my　little　marquis；　it　will　be　on　your　winding…sheet。〃

But　Corentin　could　not　bring　himself　to　let　that　fatal　house　completely　out　of　sight；　and　he　went　to　the　Promenade；　where　he　found　the　commandant　giving　his　last　orders。　By　this　time　it　was　night。　Two　hours　went　by；　but　the　sentinels　posted　at　intervals　noticed　nothing　that　led　them　to　suppose　the　marquis　had　evaded　the　triple　line　of　men　who　surrounded　the　three　sides　by　which　the　tower　of　Papegaut　was　accessible。　Twenty　times　had　Corentin　gone　from　the　Promenade　to　the　guard…room；　always　to　find　that　his　little　emissary　had　not　appeared。　Sunk　in　thought；　the　spy　paced　the　Promenade　slowly；　enduring　the　martyrdom　to　which　three　passions；　terrible　in　their　clashing；　subject　a　man；love；　avarice；　and　ambition。　Eight　o'clock　struck　from　all　the　towers　in　the　town。　The　moon　rose　late。　Fog　and　darkness　wrapped　in　impenetrable　gloom　the　places　where　the　drama　planned　by　this　man　was　coming　to　its　climax。　He　was　able　to　silence　the　struggle　of　his　passions　as　he　walked　up　and　down；　his　arms　crossed；　and　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　windows　which　rose　like　the　luminous　eyes　of　a　phantom　above　the　rampart。　The　deep　silence　was　broken　only　by　the　rippling　of　the　Nancon；　by　the　regular　and　lugubrious　tolling　from　the　belfries；　by　the　heavy　steps　of　the　sentinels　or　the　rattle　of　arms　as　the　guard　was　hourly　relieved。

〃The　night's　as　thick　as　a　wolf's　jaw；〃　said　the　voice　of　Pille…Miche。

〃Go　on；〃　growled　Marche…a…Terre；　〃and　don't　talk　more　than　a　dead　dog。〃

〃I'm　hardly　breathing；〃　said　the　Chouan。

〃If　the　man　who　made　that　stone　roll　down　wants　his　heart　to　serve　as　the　scabbard　for　my　knife　he'll　do　it　again；〃　said　Marche…a…Terre；　in　a　low　voice　scarcely　heard　above　the　flowing　of　the　river。

〃It　was　I；〃　said　Pille…Miche。

〃Well；　then；　old　money…bag；　down　on　your　stomach；〃　said　the　other；　〃and　wriggle　like　a　snake　through　a　hedge；　or　we　shall　leave　our　carcasses　behind　us　sooner　than　we　need。〃

〃Hey；　Marche…a…Terre；〃　said　the　incorrigible　Pille…Miche；　who　was　using　his　hands　to　drag　himself　along　on　his　stomach；　and　had　reached　the　level　of　his　comrade's　ear。　〃If　the　Grande…Garce　is　to　be　believed　there'll　be　a　fine　booty　to…day。　Will　you　go　shares　with　me？〃

〃Look　here；　Pille…Miche；〃　said　Marche…a…Terre　stopping　short　on　the　flat　of　his　stomach。　The　other　Chouans；　who　were　accompanying　the　two　men；　did　the　same；　so　wearied　were　they　with　the　difficulties　they　had　met　with　in　climbing　the　precipice。　〃I　know　you；〃　continued　Marche…a…　Terre；　〃for　a　Jack　Grab…All　who　would　rather　give　blows　than　receive　them　when　there's　nothing　else　to　be　done。　We　have　not　come　here　to　grab　dead　men's　shoes；　we　are　devils　against　devils；　and　sorrow　to　those　whose　claws　are　too　short。　The　Grande…Garce　has　sent　us　here　to　save　the　Gars。　He　is　up　there；　lift　your　dog's　nose　and　see　that　window　above　the　tower。〃

Midnight　was　striking。　The　moon　rose；　giving　the　appearance　of　white　smoke　to　the　fog。　Pille…Miche